2009 New Year's Resolutions That Work
2009 New Year's Resolutions That Work
By: Dave Mather
At the beginning of each year many people set worthy sounding goals. Many have given up this
practice since they tend to disappoint themselves on December 31st. Here are several useful
suggestions to increase the probability that your year 2001 New Year's resolutions will stick.
Turn your resolutions into Declarations. Resolving to do something is an intent from which you
are easily distracted. A Declaration is a commitment. It is also a creation. Speak in the present
tense as if your desired objective is a reality. Act as if it is impossible to fail.
Make your Declaration Specific. A stated intention to lose weight will probably fail. It is too
vague. How much weight? By what date? Declare your actual weight at a specific future date. Be
bold enough to buy an expensive outfit based on your new weight. Hang the garment in your
closet in plain view. Don't wish and hope you will fit into the outfit someday, instead, establish
your celebration day. Weighing 25 pounds less by next April and declaring what your weight
will be on that date may seem like a giant leap, but when you quantify your goals this way, you
are already into action.
Here's another example of committed action. It is not enough to resolve that "I want to have
more money in the bank this year." What specific amount do you declare will be in your account
and by what date? Don't misunderstand this process. The declaration is only the first in a series
of action steps.
Resolutions to be achieved "as soon as possible" are doomed to fail. Commit to a deadline.
Without a deadline, you may postpone getting started. Deadlines define when failure occurs. (I
know this sounds negative, but sometimes this way makes it more clear.)
Focus on one or two specific goals. Don't overwhelm yourself. Keep focused on what is really
important to you.
Plan from the future, not the past. Planning backwards from the future (as if it is in the present)
gives you a far better perspective than looking up at a giant goal from the past. Look down on the
present from the future. This gives you a much better view of the possible barriers to overcome
and what is required. Looking 'up' from the past can only replicate what has gone on before. We
all tend to seek the familiar and avoid the strange. Establish a perspective that pulls you towards
your declared future.
Stay in the Declaration conversation. Whining about how hard it is to change creates a hard-tochange
mindset. The first target is your thinking. After all, it's your thinking that repeats old
habits of behaviour. Declaring your objective and working towards creating the best version of
that reality is quite exciting. You won't resist change as much as you have been told. Actually,
we don't really resist change, we simply resist change that we perceive is being forced upon us.
The tendency is to engage in self-talk that keeps us from creating a new reality.
Make bold promises and keep your word. People who make few promises get little criticism.
They also don't achieve much.
Speak for yourself. Pay attention to what you say and how you say it. How many times do you
say 'that's the way it is?' Experiment with phrases such as: 'that's the way it appears to me.' This
keeps your conversation authentic and leads to a concrete way of speaking. Make promises about
you, not everyone else or 'the world.' This form of disciplined speaking gives you tremendous
power. You control only what you can control. You are giving up any implied power over others
or the universe. Recognition of your powerlessness over others grants you absolute power over
your own behaviour. This way of speaking is a gateway to a more powerful and enjoyable future.
Enjoy 2009!
2009 New Years Resolutions That Work - To learn more about this author, visit Dave Mather's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
New Year's Resolutions That Work
By: Dave Mather
At the beginning of each year many people set worthy sounding goals. Many have given up this
practice since they tend to disappoint themselves on December 31st. Here are several useful
suggestions to increase the probability that your year 2001 New Year's resolutions will stick.
Turn your resolutions into Declarations. Resolving to do something is an intent from which you
are easily distracted. A Declaration is a commitment. It is also a creation. Speak in the present
tense as if your desired objective is a reality. Act as if it is impossible to fail.
Make your Declaration Specific. A stated intention to lose weight will probably fail. It is too
vague. How much weight? By what date? Declare your actual weight at a specific future date. Be
bold enough to buy an expensive outfit based on your new weight. Hang the garment in your
closet in plain view. Don't wish and hope you will fit into the outfit someday, instead, establish
your celebration day. Weighing 25 pounds less by next April and declaring what your weight
will be on that date may seem like a giant leap, but when you quantify your goals this way, you
are already into action.
Here's another example of committed action. It is not enough to resolve that "I want to have
more money in the bank this year." What specific amount do you declare will be in your account
and by what date? Don't misunderstand this process. The declaration is only the first in a series
of action steps.
Resolutions to be achieved "as soon as possible" are doomed to fail. Commit to a deadline.
Without a deadline, you may postpone getting started. Deadlines define when failure occurs. (I
know this sounds negative, but sometimes this way makes it more clear.)
Focus on one or two specific goals. Don't overwhelm yourself. Keep focused on what is really
important to you.
Plan from the future, not the past. Planning backwards from the future (as if it is in the present)
gives you a far better perspective than looking up at a giant goal from the past. Look down on the
present from the future. This gives you a much better view of the possible barriers to overcome
and what is required. Looking 'up' from the past can only replicate what has gone on before. We
all tend to seek the familiar and avoid the strange. Establish a perspective that pulls you towards
your declared future.
Stay in the Declaration conversation. Whining about how hard it is to change creates a hard-tochange
mindset. The first target is your thinking. After all, it's your thinking that repeats old
habits of behaviour. Declaring your objective and working towards creating the best version of
that reality is quite exciting. You won't resist change as much as you have been told. Actually,
we don't really resist change, we simply resist change that we perceive is being forced upon us.
The tendency is to engage in self-talk that keeps us from creating a new reality.
Make bold promises and keep your word. People who make few promises get little criticism.
They also don't achieve much.
Speak for yourself. Pay attention to what you say and how you say it. How many times do you
say 'that's the way it is?' Experiment with phrases such as: 'that's the way it appears to me.' This
keeps your conversation authentic and leads to a concrete way of speaking. Make promises about
you, not everyone else or 'the world.' This form of disciplined speaking gives you tremendous
power. You control only what you can control. You are giving up any implied power over others
or the universe. Recognition of your powerlessness over others grants you absolute power over
your own behaviour. This way of speaking is a gateway to a more powerful and enjoyable future.
Enjoy 2009!
2009 New Years Resolutions That Work - To learn more about this author, visit Dave Mather's Website.
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
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